diff --git a/Assistant/Sync.hs b/Assistant/Sync.hs
index 9ec60c25e4..48f805655d 100644
--- a/Assistant/Sync.hs
+++ b/Assistant/Sync.hs
@@ -59,11 +59,11 @@ import Control.Concurrent.Async
 reconnectRemotes :: [Remote] -> Assistant ()
 reconnectRemotes [] = recordExportCommit
 reconnectRemotes rs = void $ do
-	rs' <- liftIO $ filterM (Remote.checkAvailable True) rs
+	rs' <- liftAnnex $ filterM (Remote.checkAvailable True) rs
 	unless (null rs') $ do
 		failedrs <- syncAction rs' (const go)
 		forM_ failedrs $ \r ->
-			whenM (liftIO $ Remote.checkAvailable False r) $
+			whenM (liftAnnex $ Remote.checkAvailable False r) $
 				repoHasProblem (Remote.uuid r) (syncRemote r)
 		mapM_ signal $ filter (`notElem` failedrs) rs'
 	recordExportCommit
diff --git a/Assistant/Threads/Exporter.hs b/Assistant/Threads/Exporter.hs
index b5344304e9..20a252baff 100644
--- a/Assistant/Threads/Exporter.hs
+++ b/Assistant/Threads/Exporter.hs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ exportThread = namedThread "Exporter" $ runEvery (Seconds 30) <~> do
  - to avoid ugly messages when a removable drive is not attached.
  -}
 exportTargets :: Assistant [Remote]
-exportTargets = liftIO . filterM (Remote.checkAvailable True)
+exportTargets = liftAnnex . filterM (Remote.checkAvailable True)
 	=<< candidates <$> getDaemonStatus
   where
 	candidates = filter (not . Remote.readonly) . exportRemotes
diff --git a/Assistant/Threads/ProblemFixer.hs b/Assistant/Threads/ProblemFixer.hs
index 0c29044dec..2b5829037f 100644
--- a/Assistant/Threads/ProblemFixer.hs
+++ b/Assistant/Threads/ProblemFixer.hs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ handleRemoteProblem urlrenderer rmt = do
 handleRemoteProblem' :: Git.Repo -> UrlRenderer -> Remote -> Assistant Bool
 handleRemoteProblem' repo urlrenderer rmt
 	| Git.repoIsLocal repo && not (Git.repoIsLocalUnknown repo) =
-		ifM (liftIO $ checkAvailable True rmt)
+		ifM (liftAnnex $ checkAvailable True rmt)
 			( do
 				fixedlocks <- repairStaleGitLocks repo
 				fsckresults <- showFscking urlrenderer (Just rmt) $ tryNonAsync $
diff --git a/Assistant/Threads/Pusher.hs b/Assistant/Threads/Pusher.hs
index b4cca60d4c..3d7b6345c0 100644
--- a/Assistant/Threads/Pusher.hs
+++ b/Assistant/Threads/Pusher.hs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ pushThread = namedThread "Pusher" $ runEvery (Seconds 2) <~> do
  - to avoid ugly messages when a removable drive is not attached.
  -}
 pushTargets :: Assistant [Remote]
-pushTargets = liftIO . filterM (Remote.checkAvailable True)
+pushTargets = liftAnnex . filterM (Remote.checkAvailable True)
 	=<< candidates <$> getDaemonStatus
   where
 	candidates = filter (not . Remote.readonly) . syncGitRemotes
diff --git a/Remote.hs b/Remote.hs
index c9d9be0827..93b2e30f87 100644
--- a/Remote.hs
+++ b/Remote.hs
@@ -411,9 +411,12 @@ byCost = map snd . sortBy (comparing fst) . M.toList . costmap
 	costmap = M.fromListWith (++) . map costpair
 	costpair r = (cost r, [r])
 
-checkAvailable :: Bool -> Remote -> IO Bool
-checkAvailable assumenetworkavailable = 
-	maybe (return assumenetworkavailable) doesDirectoryExist . localpath
+checkAvailable :: Bool -> Remote -> Annex Bool
+checkAvailable assumenetworkavailable r = tryNonAsync (availability r) >>= \case
+	Left _e -> return assumenetworkavailable
+	Right LocallyAvailable -> return True
+	Right GloballyAvailable -> return assumenetworkavailable
+	Right Unavailable -> return False
 
 hasKey :: Remote -> Key -> Annex (Either String Bool)
 hasKey r k = either (Left  . show) Right <$> tryNonAsync (checkPresent r k)